GRADUATE STUDENT

ORIENTATION
FALL 2015

WELCOME TO ECE
George F. Riley, Professor
Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs

Steven W. McLaughlin, Professor

Steve W. Chaddick School Chair

Guest Speakers for ECE

Campus Police Brian Bonus
Career Svcs -

Robbie Ouzts

Co-op Office -

Kenneth Little

PhD Students in ECE

PhD Candidate - Marissa Norko

PhD Candidate - Michelle Collins

PhD Candidate - Zach Fleetwood

ORIENTATION AGENDA
Overview
Registration
MS Degree Requirements
PhD Degree Requirements
Financial Aspects
Other Opportunities

Orientation Agenda

Overview

GRADUATE OFFICE
Dr. George F. Riley - Assoc Chair for Graduate Affairs
Dr. David R. Hertling - Assoc Chair Emeritus
Dr. Daniela Staiculescu Academic Professional
Ms. Jacqueline D. Trappier Academic Advisor
Ms. Tasha M. Torrence Admissions Coordinator
Mr. Tristin R. Carmichael Admissions Coordinator

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Make admission recommendations

Maintain student records
Review and approve coursework plans
Provide administrative support for students fulfilling degree
requirements
Monitor student degree completion progress
Schedule and publicly announce degree-related exams and
presentations
Process program of study/degree petitions
Manage GTA/GRA appointments and waivers
Process immigration paperwork
Provide advising and counseling

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Become familiar with and follow GT and ECE policies,

procedures, and regulations

Refer to the GT General Catalog, ECE Graduate and
Assistantship Handbooks
Maintain good academic standing
Make good degree progress
Plan ahead and observe all ECE and GT deadlines
Submit your degree requirement materials (such as
coursework plans, program of study, etc.) in a timely manner
Register early and properly
Maintain accurate contact information
Check your GT email daily
Seek assistance from appropriate sources, do not rely on fellow
students for program advice
9

FACULTY
Over 100 ECE faculty located in 11

buildings on the Atlanta campus

Research interests are divided into 11
technical interest groups or TIGs

TIG refers to a faculty and student group

TIA refers to a Technical Interest Areathe
classes offered by the TIG

10

Technical Interest Areas

Bioengineering (BioE)
Computer Systems & Software (CSS)
Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
Electrical Energy (EE)
Electromagnetics (Emag)
Electronic Design & Applications (EDA)
Microelectronics (Micro)
Modern Optics (Opt)
Systems & Controls (S&C)
Telecommunications (Telecom)
VLSI Systems & Digital Design (VSDD)
11

FACULTY LOCATIONS

Van Leer ECE Bldg

U.A. Whitaker/BME

Electrical Energy Testing

Microsystems &
Microelectronics

MaRC

Applied Controls and Packaging

Klaus
Computer Engineering
Computer Systems & Software
VLSI Systems & Digital Design
Marcus Nanotechnology
Nanoelectronics

Optics/Micro

NEETRAC

Telecom
DSP

MiRC (J.M. Pettit)

EDA/Emag/Controls/Micro
Optics

Centergy

Bunger-Henry

Microsystems
Optics & Photonics

TSRB

Bioengineering

Molecular Sci & Tech Bldg

Electrical Energy
Electromagnetics
Systems & Controls
Optics & Photonics

12

ECE WEB SITE

http://www.ece.gatech.edu
ECE website has:

ECE Graduate Handbook

ECE Assistantship Handbook
GTA Handbook
PhD Prelim Exam Study Guide
Important Dates and Deadlines
Posting of Exams and Seminars
Graduate Forms & Files

13

SEEKING ASSISTANCE
Graduate Affairs Office
Academic advisement, advisor selection/problems, procedural problems,
guidance with decision about dropping classes, etc.
FAQ
Electronic Inquiries: use Contact Graduate Office interface
In-person: Graduate Office W208;
Front desk staffed 8:00am - 4:30pm (closed 12:00-1:30).
Staff office hours posted on door
Dr. Riley will see students if available (recommend schedule appt)

Registrar
Academic records, registration, graduation information, official school
calendar
www.registrar.gatech.edu
Graduate Studies
Institute policies on graduate students, thesis and dissertations
www.gradadmiss.gatech.edu
Dean of Students
Counseling, ADAPTS (accommodations), academic honor code
Seek help at first sign of academic/personal problems
www.deanofstudents.gatech.edu

14

SEEKING ASSISTANCE (appeals)

ECE Graduate Committee

Submit petitions to be considered for possible exceptions for

ECE rules
Institute Graduate Committee
Submit petitions for possible exceptions to GT rules
(Registrar website)
Ombudsman
Independent conflict resolution (Provosts Office)

15

OFFICIAL GT E-MAIL POLICY

E-mail is the official means of communication at

Tech
Students must be sure to activate and maintain the
official GT email account
Failure of mail forwarded to another account, broken
computer, etc. is not a valid reason for not
responding to notices from the Bursar, Registrar,
ECE or other GT entities.
ECE Accounts

Link to website
http://www.ece-help.gatech.edu/accounts/index.html
Request process
16

ECE STUDENT EMAIL CONTACTS

grads@ece Academic information only

(registration, deadlines, etc.)

Goes to all registered ECE graduate students

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) maintains

a list serve website at https://lists.gatech.edu/sympa.

Multiple lists are served at this site, you may manage
the lists you access at this site as well.

One such list is: news_grads@ece non-academic

information (employment opportunities, fellowship info,
social events, etc.)
Must join this list to receive messages
Subscribe at:
https://www.ece.gatech.edu/mailman/listinfo/news_grads

Enter your Georgia Tech email address

17

Orientation Agenda

Registration

18

FALL SEMESTER
Classes start on Monday, August 17
Registration Ends August 21 at 4:00pm
After this time, you will no longer be able to

Add classes to your schedule

Increase or decrease the hours of a variable hour class
Change the grade basis of a class from letter grade to
audit
Fee Payment Deadline August 24 at 4:00pm

Other Fall Dates

Drop Day: Drop a class or change course grade basis to

pass/fail (where available) October 25
Withdraw from school October 25
Spring 2016 Phase I registration - October 26 November 13

19

REGISTRATION

Accessing OSCAR (

https://oscar.gatech.edu/,
http://www/registrar.gatech.edu)
FAQs
Error Message Demos
Adding and Deleting Classes
Variable Hour Classes

20

SECTION DESIGNATIONS
Classes may be offered at multiple campuses
You must register for classes listed at the

campus at which you are based

If you attempt to register for a class at a
campus other than the one at which you are
based, youll get a campus restriction error.
Campus Designations:

A = Atlanta, R = GT Lorraine (France),

Q = Online Program, RSZ = GT Shenzhen

21

Registration Permits
What is a Permit?

Prerequisite
Class restricted to majors

Requesting Permits

For ECE Classes (

http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/graduate/internal
/index.html
For Non-ECE Classes

Information on Registrars website at

(
http://www.registrar.gatech.edu/registration/permitoverload.
php
)

Comprehensive contact list at

http://www.registrar.gatech.edu/registration/oprequest.php
22

Requesting Overloads
What is an Overload?
ECEs Class Full Procedure

Class enrollment monitored throughout registration

period
When possible, we relocate classes to larger rooms
Keep checking for openings to occur
If a faculty member gives you permission to overload
into their class, they must inform the ECE Graduate
Affairs Office so that we can issue an overload

Our office will not issue overloads without faculty

notification
23

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
FULL-TIME
GTAs/GRAs, fellowship students, and international students are
required to be registered for full time
Minimum 12 semester hours (at most 3 audit hours)
Maximum 21 semester hours (16 in summer)
You MUST register properly to maintain your full-time status!!

The following students should sign up for 21 hours (16 in

summer)

MS Thesis students register for ECE7000

PhD students who have an advisor and passed prelim exam register for
ECE9000
Students who are not eligible for ECE7000/9000 and are doing research
under an advisor should register for ECE8900
Students studying for the prelim should register for ECE7999
Students who are seeking and advisor or research topic should sign up for
ECE 8999 must obtain permit from grad office

Students without an MS degree must register for a minimum of 9

hours of degree-related credit.
24

Registration Requirements (cont.)

GTAs and GRAs

Minimum of 12 hours (at most 3 audit hours)

Assistantship marker course

GTAs register for ECE 8997 (3 hours)

GRAs register for ECE 8998 (1 hour)

25

Registration Requirements (cont.)

Research Hours

Variable hours used to document research efforts

1 hour of credit for 3 hours per week of research work

MS Thesis Research Hours (ECE 7000)

PhD Dissertation Research Hours (ECE 9000)

Select Thesis Research Advisor

Submit Advisor Selection Form
May need a section set up

Pass the PhD Prelim Exam

Submit Advisor Selection Form

ECE 8900

Undertaking faculty supervised research

Pass/Fail Hours
Count toward full-time requirement
Do not count toward degree requirements

26

Registration Requirements (cont.)

Special Problem Hours (8901, 8902, 8903)

Faculty supervised research effort

Letter grade hours, can be used toward Group IV (Elective)
area of program

No more than 3 hours of special problem per semester

No more than 6 hours of special problem can be used toward a
graduate degree
Work done for Special Problem Hours must be distinct from
work done for any other credit hours (including thesis hours)
and GRA hours

Permit needed in order to register

Cover sheet and one page description of problem required

Problem to be undertaken
Method
Expected results
27

Registration Requirements (cont.)

Part-Time Enrollment
Minimum of 3 hours
1 hour rule
Can only be used in graduating term
Applies to MS thesis and PhD students
Can only be used one time for each degree
Must be in graduating term

Inactive Student Status

Not enrolled in two consecutive terms
Summer is considered a term
Must submit Application for Readmission to become
active again
$30.00 reactivation fee is required
28

Registration Requirements (cont.)

Withdrawal from School

Full-time students who withdraw from school must

remain out in the following term as well
Can submit Petition to the Faculty for a waiver of rule
Part-time students who withdraw may enroll in
following term

29

GRADE BASIS CHANGES

Students have the option to change the grade basis of classes

that are offered with multiple grade options (letter grade,

pass/fail, audit).
Change to audit basis available only through the last day of
final registration (August 21 for Fall 2015).
Change to pass/fail basis available through drop day each
term (October 25 for Fall 2015). More information is available at
http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/
ECE classes and marker courses do not have multiple grade
options from which to choose
If you change the grade option on a class from letter grade to
pass/fail or audit, and it no longer meets ECE requirements, you
wont be able to use the class in fulfillment of degree
requirements.
30

DROP/WITHDRAW PROCEDURE
ECEs graduate program is large and most of our students have to

meet full-time requirements to fulfill funding or visa requirements

Students must be cleared through the ECE Graduate Affairs Office to

drop classes or withdraw from school after the close of registration

If you are cleared to drop and your hours end up less than the 12 hours

required for full-time status, you should expect to lose your GRA/GTA
waiver and/or your funding.

International students who are not full-time enrolled can jeopardize their

visa status as well

31

ATTENDANCE
All active students are to be at their designated

campuses on the first day of classes each term

Absences in seminar classes (ECE 8001, 8022, etc.)
during the first week of the term may count against the
absences allotted
Students leaving campus during a term are expected to
file an Absence Request which is available in the
ECE Academic Affairs Office (W208, Van Leer) or online at:
http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/internal/graduat
e/forms/Absence_Notice.pdf
Absences exceeding two weeks during a term will not
be approved.
32

Orientation Agenda

MS Degree Requirements

33

THE MASTER of
SCIENCE DEGREE

ECE offers a designated MSECE degree

34

THE MASTER OF SCIENCE (cont.)

Two MS Options

Thesis
Non-Thesis
GPA of 2.7 or higher
Only classes receiving a C or better grade can be
used towards the MS degree

35

MS NON-THESIS OPTION
30 Hours of Classes
Letter Grade Hours
Pass Fail Hours (3)
18 hours ECE 6000
Group I
Group II
6 Hours of Minor
Single area
Outside ECE
6 Hours Free Electives
Technical vs Non-technical
hours
ECE Seminars 8001, 8002,
6792

Georgia Tech requires a

minimum GPA of 2.70 for the

MS degree

ECE requires that all classes

used toward the MS coursework

requirement must have grades
of C or above

MS non thesis option

Three Semesters

36

Sample Non-Thesis Courseplans

Group I

ECE6550 (S&C)
ECE6551 (S&C)
ECE6607 (Telecom)

Group II

ECE6320 (Elec E)
ECE6250 (DSP)
ECE6380 (EM)

Minor (2 classes)
General Electives

4000 level courses, ECE

courses, degree-related
but non-ECE courses

Group I

ECE6550 (S&C)
ECE6551 (S&C)
ECE6552 (S&C)

Group II

ECE6553 (S&C)
ECE6250 (DSP)
ECE6380 (EM)

Minor (2 classes)
General Electives

ECE6554 (S&C)
ECE6555 (S&C)
37

MS THESIS OPTION
18 Hours of Classes

Letter Grade Hours

Pass Fail Hours (0)

12 hours ECE 6000

-

Group I
Group II

6 Hours of Minor

Single area
Outside ECE

Free Electives

Thesis Hours (12)

Responsible Conduct of
Research (RCR)

Advisor Selection
If you are pursuing the
thesis option, you
should select an advisor
as soon as possible,
preferably in your first
term and not later than
the second term
Degree Completion

Students opting to do the

MS thesis option are
expected to complete
that degree!
38

MS THESIS OPTION (cont.)

MS Thesis Topic Approval
Research Review
Thesis Committee
Thesis Topic Approval Form
Responsible Conduct Research (RCR)
Thesis Submission

Certificate of Thesis Approval

Institute Deadlines

MS Thesis Option

Four Semesters

39

MINOR REQUIREMENTS

6 hours of classes for MS, 9 for PhD

Single area, outside of ECE
Fairly flexible with MS minor selections

Math, non-ECE engineering, science, CS, management, public policy

on technology

PhD minors are expected to enhance, complement research topic

List of pre-approved Math and CS courses on website
Other engineering fields and science are acceptable
Any other field would need approval
No class that cannot be used by the majors of the school offering
the class toward their degree can be used toward the ECE minor
requirement
Specifically, ISYE 6739 cannot be used toward an ECE minor
40

COURSEWORK PLANS
Complete a coursework plan this term (for

your own planning purposes)

https://secure2.ece.gatech.edu/PHP/gradfor
ms/main.php
Revisions can be made
Final Coursework Plan should be submitted

with (program of study) application for

graduation
41

COURSEWORK PLANNING
MATERIALS
Projected Course Offerings

http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/graduat
e/course_schedule.pdf

Cross-listed Courses
Minor Selections

42

Orientation Agenda

PhD Degree Requirements

43

PH.D. REQUIREMENTS
43 hours of coursework

GT requires a minor for the PhD degree

Advisor Selection
Comprehensive Examination

Preliminary Exam (Fall October 12, 2015)

Proposal Exam

Original research, writing, and presentation

Dissertation Proposal
Final Dissertation and Defense

44

PHD COURSEWORK
43 hours of classes

Letter Grade Hours

Pass Fail Hours
Required Classes

18 hours ECE 6000

Group I
Group II
Minor

9 hours outside ECE

Acceptable areas

Electives

3 Hours, Not-so-Free
ECE 8022,
Professional
Communications
Seminar
RCR (PHIL 6000)
13 Hours, Free
Technical vs NonTechnical Hours
MS thesis Hours
45

RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF
RESEARCH (RCR)
All new PhD students who enroll after

Summer 2011 must

Take and pass the online RCR CITI course

within 90 days of beginning their program
http://www.rcr.gatech.edu/

Take the 1 credit hour course PHIL 6000

within 12 months of enrollment
We expect most students to complete this in Spring
or Summer 2016, it is a 2-day course.

46

ADDITIONAL COURSE
REQUIREMENTS
GPA of 3.0
All classes used toward the PhD coursework

requirement must have grades of C or

above

47

COURSEWORK PLANS
Complete a coursework plan this term (for

your own planning purposes)

Coursework Plans due before or with
submission of Proposal Exam
https://secure2.ece.gatech.edu/PHP/gradfor
ms/main.php
Revisions can be made

48

PHD STUDENT
MS DEGREE COMPLETED
We do count appropriate graduate level courses towards

your PhD up to 30 hours taken for an MS degree can be

used towards the 43 hours for the PhD
Provide acceptable documentation (transcript, syllabi, etc.)
along with your Coursework Plan

Submit documentation to Graduate Office

Courses will need to be approved by the Graduate Office, so

early submission of the request for approval is

recommended
Approval of your coursework plan by ECE serves as an
agreement to let you use classes from your MS toward our
PhD degree.
Your MS degree classes will not show on the GT
49
transcript.

COURSEWORK PLANNING
MATERIALS
Projected Course Offerings

http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/graduat
e/course_schedule.pdf

Cross-listed Courses
Minor Selections

50

PHD PRELIMINARY EXAM

Comprehensive written exam covering topics from all

TIAs

Must work and submit 8 problems from a 22 total of

problems

Test given in Fall and Spring Semesters (October 12,

2015)
Work sample exams and register for audit classes
Take each time that the test is offered
All students will be permitted three opportunities to
take the exam while enrolled in the ECE graduate
program at Georgia Tech.

51

STUDENTS WITHOUT A
BACKGROUND IN ECE
Non-Engineering and/or Non-ECE

Engineering background students who want

to pursue the PhD in ECE should meet with
the ECE Graduate Program Associate Chair
or PhD Advisor early in their studies to
clarify any concerns/questions regarding the
parameters for completing the PhD
preliminary examination and coursework.

52

HOW TO GO FROM M.S. TO PH.D.

PASS THE PHD PRELIMINARY EXAM
Submit a completed and signed Advisor

Selection form. Located at:

http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/internal
/graduate/forms/Select_Advisor.pdf
Procedures to Change from MSECE to
PhD-ECE found at:
http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/internal
/graduate/phd-degree.html
53

DISSERTATION PROPOSAL EXAM

Proposal on what you plan to do for your

PhD, includes literature review and

preliminary work

Written proposal and oral presentation

Usually taken about 1-2 years before degree

completion (3rd or 4th year)

54

DISSERTATION
Complete research
Submit to Committee
Schedule the Final Oral Defense
Submit to the Institute Graduate Studies

Office

55

COMPLETION OF DEGREE
PhD Preliminary Exam
Students classified as PhD at the time of admission must
pass the PhD Preliminary Exam within their first four
semesters
Coursework

Entering w/ MS: within first four semesters

Entering w/ BS: within first six semesters

Proposal
Within two years of passing Prelim Exam or three years of
entering PhD program
Dissertation Defense

Within 12 to 18 months (and no fewer than six months) of

passing proposal exam
56

Orientation Agenda

Financial Aspects

57

FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES
Fellowships
External Job Opportunities
Assistantships
Seeking Assistantships
International Students
Getting Paid

58

FELLOWSHIPS
Most national fellowships have application deadlines in

fall & are available for students at or near the

beginning of their studies
Fellowships Website: http://fellowships.gatech.edu/
Students in their first year who are interested in
earning a PhD should apply for an NSF Fellowship

59

EXTERNAL OPPORTUNITIES
ECE Seminars ECE 8001, 8002
Career Fairs (Sept, Feb)
Division of Professional Practice

Graduate Co-op, Internships, Global Internship Program

http://www.profpractice.gatech.edu/student_informatio
n.php
http://oie.gatech.edu/content/gip

ECE co-op/internship policy

Georgia Tech Research Institute

Assistantships, co-ops, etc.

http://www.gtri.gatech.edu/careers/students
Career Services for full-time employment

60

GRA Positions
GRAs - faculty with funded research
Over $51M per year in funding for ECE
Supported ~450-500 GRAs
Faculty make their own hiring decisions
Demand for funded positions is very high

61

SEEKING A GRA POSITION?

Refer to faculty research information on the website

before contacting faculty about working with them as a

GRA.
Sign up for a class with the faculty member whose
research interests you

Distinguish yourself
Talk to him/her about research and about funding
opportunities

Be open to doing a Special Problem before the faculty

member commits to hiring you as a GRA

Market yourself to faculty whose research interests you.
What skills do you have that they might need? How
does their research interest you?
62

GTA Positions
GTA offers are for contiguous terms
GTA offers are based on ECEs needs and the

fiscal year budget

We normally have almost twice as many
applicants as positions
Virtually all GTA offers for the current academic
year 2015-2016 have been made

Faculty members do not make GTA offers,

only the ECE Grad Affairs Office makes those

offers
63

GETTING PAID
Direct Deposit

Assistantship Stipends
Refunds from GT

Pay Schedule last working day of the month

Tuition and Fees

Fee Waivers

GRA/GTA Waivers
Out-of-State Waivers

64

Payroll Deduction
Information available at:
http://www.bursar.gatech.edu/content/payment-options
http://www.bursar.gatech.edu/content/gra-gta-payrolldeduction
Must be employed as

A Graduate Research or Teaching Assistant

1/3 to 1/2 time
Paid monthly

Payroll deduction available in fall and spring

semesters
Must arrange for payroll deduction before the close of
fall registration: August 21 for Fall 2015
65

INTERNATIONAL
GTAs & GRAs
Must have an F1 or J1 visa
Should apply for Social Security cards
Social Security Administration Office Location:

Nearest office 401 West Peachtree, Suite 2860

(midtown Atlanta)
Other offices in area: http://www.ssa.gov

Must have documentation of employment from OIE

Must have copies of passport, I94 and I20 before

applying for card

66

Orientation Agenda

Other Opportunities

67

Center for Enhancement of Teaching

and Learning Courses
GTA Development

CETL 8000 ECE for Fall Term

Teaching and Learning (students interested in careers in teaching)

Communication Skills (oral, written, presentation)

www.cetl.gatech.edu

68

SATELLITE PROGRAMS
Georgia Tech Lorraine (Metz, France)

More info at: http://www.georgiatech-metz.fr/

Georgia Tech Shenzhen (Shenzhen, China)
More info at: http://www.shenzhen.gatech.edu/

For non-Georgia residents, it is cheaper to

attend these programs than attend the

Atlanta campus program, some funding
opportunities available

69

Bette Finn
ECE Subject Librarian
bette.finn@library.gatech.edu
Phone: 404-894-1790
One-on-one in-depth and quick database search assistance
and ECE library classes
ECE Library Research Guide

http://libguides.gatech.edu/ece
ECE Databases
http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/eceindex.htm
ECE Services, such as interlibrary loan
http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~bw21/eceser.htm
Classes taught every semester, customized for ECE
graduate students

Professional and Social Opportunities

ECE Student/Faculty Committee
Women in Electrical and Computer

Engineering
ECESIS - ECEs Creative Webzine
Eta Kappa Nu
IEEE
Georgia Tech Amateur Radio Club

http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academics/stu

dent-orgs.html

All GT student organizations (almost 400

to choose from)
http://www.cyberbuzz.gatech.edu

71

WERE GLAD
YOURE HERE!!

72